S.R. Sidarth enters senior year with 3-word essay: "I am Macaca."

[Ian_rd]

Perhaps because Time Magazine wussed out with its selection of "you" for Person of the Year, Salon has made its own selection with S.R. Sidarth - y'know - the "macaca" guy!

Excerpt:

Weeks after Allen's blunder, Sidarth finds himself writing an entrance essay for a class at the University of Virginia, where he is a senior. The class is called Campaigns and Elections, and it has about four applicants for every spot. "I get all these large, elaborate essays about the meaning of politics and why they are going to be president," says Larry Sabato, the professor. Sidarth writes only three words. "I am macaca." Sabato lets him in. "When you have the right stuff, you don't need to brag," the teacher explains. "A simple declarative sentence will do."

Full Story

The entire article is fantastic. It touches on Time's grudgingly understated selection for their own Person of the Year, which was basically common Americans armed with an internet hook-up, a blog, and a submission to YouTube. And with the razor-thin victory by Democrats in the Senate, the argument could be made that Sidarth was the most influential of us all, for if nothing more than choosing to be in the right place at the right time with a video camera and ended up contributing significantly to changing the face of Congress.

[chloesmom]

1. K&R

Thanks for posting this link. The article is pretty condescending to You-Tube posters and bloggers in general, but it wraps up well by saying that S.R. Sidarth is the REAL Virginian, not California-born George Allen.

[newyawker99]

4. Hi chloesmom!!

Welcome to DU!!

[Binka]

2. Three Little Words

That brought down the racist asshole who thought he was going to be the next anointed DICK-TATER.

[Ian David]

3. Here is my list of the individuals most responsible for The Blue Revolution of 2006

Howard Dean


S.R. Sidarth

Lane Hudson


Rush Limbaugh
http://www.maconareaonline.com/_art/news/1 (1538).JPG

Mike Jones
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Jones_ (personal_trainer)

Al Franken, Air America, and Stephanie Miller

Cindy Sheehan

Army Spc. Thomas Wilson of the 278th Regimental Combat Team


Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Keith Olbermann, and David Gregory

[Quantess]

5. I like the "Dean Scream"

Don't care what the pundits say.

[Ian David]

6. My four year-old daughter can do "The Dean Scream"

We drove around the day after the election last month, doing it at people in nearby cars.

[lies and propaganda]

11. when listened to on YouTube or something non msm

it is the most amazing thing ever. You get to hear all the students screaming that the teevees cut out to make Dean seam loud and crazy. It would have been great to be in that room.

[Ian_rd]

13. It's one of those perfect examples of a purely invented controversy

God forbid someone make a loud vocal noise at a rally. The only reason the media thought it sounded crazy was because Ken Mehlman told them it did.

One of my favorites of all time though is the media obediently making an issue in 2004 of "Did Kerry toss his medals or his ribbons over the White House fence?! Which is it flip-flopper?! OMG so inconsistent!!"

[wicket]

7. K & R

[gordianot]

8. In years to come this should reach the status of legend.

I hope Mr. Sidarth goes into politics and someday runs for office. Who knows someday he may run for President? It would make a great movie.

[spooky3]

9. "Though Allen's denials were consistent..." - HUH?

...he never regained his balance or his standing in the polls."

He had a new "explanation" every day for the macaca incident, and none of them made sense (see MediaMatters.org for details). He refused to release information pertaining to other charges of racism or other allegations.

*IF* he had been consistent MAYBE he would have been able to teflon the allegations. But he wasn't. It is hard to be a consistent liar. And people saw right through it.

Felix Jr. was also in trouble BEFORE this incident, and would have been in much more trouble had Schumer and friends gotten behind Webb when they should have. However, the incident really did make a huge difference. It made it impossible for people to continue to ignore the train wreck that was looming.

[POAS]

10. In a very real sense

WE are Macaca!

[scarletwoman]

14. Excellent! Just like "I am Spartacus!"

I AM MACACA!

Yeah, that rocks!

sw

[Ian_rd]

15. "I am Macaca" - Holy Crap, that's a T-shirt begging to happen. nt

[corkhead]

16. Or Monty Pithon's Meaning of Life

I'm Macaca and so is my wife

[dalloway]

12. It is a great article!